Don Newcombe vs Max Scherzer: Career Stats Comparison
Max Scherzer has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Don Newcombe played 1949–1960 as a pitcher; Max Scherzer has played 2008–present as a pitcher.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
Don Newcombe (1949–1960) and Max Scherzer (2008–present) — breaking in during the 1940s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Don Newcombe finished with 153 wins and 1,185 strikeouts; Max Scherzer has 225 wins and 3,557 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Max Scherzer, with 3.29 to Don Newcombe's 3.57.
- Who won more games? Max Scherzer, with 225 to Don Newcombe's 153.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Don Newcombe's 1,185.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Don Newcombe's 1.21.
- Who pitched more innings? Max Scherzer, with 3,047.2 to Don Newcombe's 2,247.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Don Newcombe, with 24 to Max Scherzer's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Max Scherzer, with 68,491 career Pitcher PIV to Don Newcombe's 20,184.
Don Newcombe
Max Scherzer
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. Totals where fewer is not an achievement -- losses, walks and hits allowed -- are left unmarked, because they track how long someone pitched rather than how well. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 1940s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Max Scherzer is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Don Newcombe | Max Scherzer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 153 | Leads: 225 |
| Losses not scored | 96 | 126 |
| Games | 359 | Leads: 501 |
| Games Started | 305 | Leads: 492 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 145 | 12 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 24 | 5 |
| Saves | Leads: 7 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,185 | Leads: 3,557 |
| Walks not scored | 528 | 814 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,185 | 2,511 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 255 | 369 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,247.0 | Leads: 3,047.2 |
| ERA | 3.57 | Leads: 3.29 |
| WHIP | 1.21 | Leads: 1.09 |
| K/9 | 4.75 | Leads: 10.50 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.11 | 2.40 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Max Scherzer outpaces Don Newcombe 68,491 to 20,184 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,425 PIV per season to 1,442, across 20 seasons to 14. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Don Newcombe — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Max Scherzer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Max Scherzer leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Don Newcombe owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Max Scherzer. PIV agrees: Max Scherzer grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Don Newcombe and Max Scherzer careers compare
No season is shared: Don Newcombe played 1949–1960, Max Scherzer 2008–present. The two careers are close in length, 359 games for Don Newcombe and 501 for Max Scherzer across 14 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Don Newcombe's edges on the table are complete games (145 to 12), shutouts (24 to 5), and saves (7 to 0). By rate, Don Newcombe struck out 4.75 and walked 2.11 per nine innings; Max Scherzer struck out 10.50 and walked 2.40. Don Newcombe was mainly a starter (305 starts in 359 games), and Max Scherzer was mainly a starter (492 starts in 501 games). Max Scherzer's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Don Newcombe vs Max Scherzer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Don Newcombe or Max Scherzer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Max Scherzer leads Don Newcombe in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Max Scherzer, with 3.29 to Don Newcombe's 3.57.
- Who won more games?
- Max Scherzer, with 225 to Don Newcombe's 153.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Don Newcombe's 1,185.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Don Newcombe's 1.21.